Arancini Recipe ( Italian Rice Fritters)

Arancini are delicious Italian rice fritters. Flavorful cheesy rice is enclosed in crunchy crumb. Made with arborio rice, turkey, porcini, peas  & cheeses.It is not without reason that Italians are considered the kings of comfort food. Pizza and pasta are go-to foods when it comes to a winter’s night in. Arancini is another cheesy carbohydrate that Italian chefs excel at. It is perfect as a starter, canapé or even a main meal. It is made of rice, coated in breadcrumbs, and can be filled with a tasty ragù, garden peas, and mozzarella cheese. This makes for a cheesy flavour bomb that we can’t get enough of!

With just a few essential tricks, you can make your own Arancini that tastes just as good as any Italian restaurant’s version.

What makes arancini so delicious is the crispy outer coating in contrast with the delicious soft centre. You can use leftover rice or risotto in your arancini. Just be sure that it is cooked to a moist, fluffy state. Some people even choose to use sushi rice in their recipes to make sure that the balls are a firm, tacky texture. You can also eliminate waste by using leftover rice from a previous meal in your filling. Be sure to add in an egg to bind it, as there’s nothing worse than dry arancini! For the carb-free or paleo eaters, cauliflower rice works just as well. You can also add an extra handful of finely grated parmesan to the rice while it’s still warm to ensure that you will be biting into a warm, sticky centre when you eat the arancini.

 Along with ragu and peas, shredded ham also makes for a great filling for arancini. I recommend that you slice the mozzarella into tiny pieces.  Then mix them in with the filling to create a more complex taste than one chunk at the centre.

The rice is usually flavoured with saffron, but this can be substituted for herbs and spices of your choice according to your tastes. You can also get creative with the filling, using anything from pancetta, tomato, mushroom, onion or a combination of different cheeses. Basil is also a popular ingredient for the filling of arancini. Although different herbs such as parsley, thyme, oregano or rosemary are just as delicious.

For the crumbing, you can coat the rice balls in a flour and egg mixture before covering them in breadcrumbs. This makes for a crispy and complete outer coating as it helps the mixture to stick to the rice.

If you have chosen the Banting option of using cauliflower rice, you may choose to use Parmesan for the crispy outside.

Arancini is a great finger food, side, or snack to make ahead of time. Just prepare the balls and refrigerate until use. They are delicious with a dipping sauce, such as marinara, a creamy tomato mixture, BBQ or a creamy herb sauce. Even an alfredo sauce makes a great complement to arancini. Arancini is such a fun and interesting food option as you can create a huge variety of combinations.

Here is our take on this Italian comfort food favorite.

HOW TO MAKE ITALIAN ARANCINI

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